The scenes of over 100 undocumented Indian immigrants shackled and deported from the U.S. to India through President Donald Trump’s latest decision have left the nation in shock and sorrow. On Wednesday, these deportees were returned to India aboard a U.S. military aircraft, and some of them shared heart-wrenching accounts of their mistreatment. They claimed they were unable to use the restroom as their hands and legs were bound with handcuffs and shackles during the journey.
Images and reports from the event quickly spread across social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, sparking widespread outrage among the Indian public. The treatment of these deportees, who were forced to endure such humiliation, was condemned by many. The Indian Parliament erupted in protest as news spread of the deportees being handcuffed and mistreated on an American military plane. The national response has been one of anger and disbelief at the inhumane treatment of Indian citizens abroad.
In a broader context, many drew comparisons to Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia, who recently issued a strong statement regarding the deportation of Colombian migrants from the U.S. Petro, known for his commitment to human rights, tweeted, “A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that a human being deserves. That’s why I turned back the U.S. military planes that were carrying Colombian migrants. I cannot allow migrants to remain in a country that does not want them; but if that country sends them back, it must be with dignity and respect for them and for our country. We will receive our fellow citizens on civilian planes, without treating them like criminals.”
The hashtag #Deportation quickly gained momentum on Twitter, with many voicing their anger. One tweet read, “Illegal Indian immigrants in the U.S. were deported with their hands cuffed and legs chained—yet neither Narendra nor Jaishankar has the spine to question Donald Trump about it!” Another tweet expressed the frustration felt by the people: “All that bluster about global might, and yet Indian deportees shackled and humiliated while the government is justifying the inhuman treatment. #Deportation.”
Yet, while the nation collectively mourns the mistreatment of its citizens abroad, India faces a troubling irony—its deportation policies are putting lives at risk.
Amid Myanmar’s ongoing crisis, where the military junta has left thousands dead and millions displaced, India has begun deporting refugees back to a war-torn country. Despite the escalating violence and systemic human rights abuses in Myanmar, the Indian government has chosen to return Myanmar nationals who fled to India seeking safety. On January 5, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh tweeted about the deportation of 26 Myanmar nationals, claiming that his government is “committed to act against illegal immigration.” Since March 2024, at least 141 Myanmar refugees have been forcibly sent back.
Human rights organizations have raised alarm over this policy, stating that those deported back to Myanmar face a real risk of persecution, torture, arbitrary detention, and even death. The United Nations has reported that over 5,350 civilians have been killed and more than 3.3 million displaced since the Myanmar military seized power in February 2021.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has condemned India’s actions, stating that the forcible return of Myanmar refugees violates international law. Mandira Sharma, Senior International Legal Adviser at the ICJ, said, “The forcible return of Myanmar refugees from Manipur violates the principle of non-refoulement under international law, as it exposes them to a real risk of serious harm, such as indiscriminate violence against civilians amidst escalating conflict in Myanmar, and the widespread and systematic human rights violations being committed by the Myanmar military.”
Meanwhile, in Assam, a report by Scroll revealed that even citizens of India, born within the country, have been denied citizenship due to the failure to comply with this bureaucratic registration process. These people, many of whom have lived in India for decades, now face the risk of deportation due to administrative oversights.
India deports people from its land—not individuals who have entered illegally in search of work, but those who fled their homeland to save their lives, crossing borders out of sheer desperation and with no other option. People, who, when sent back across the border, are likely walking a path that leads them to their deaths.
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